EastEnders aired an auspicious departure for Lee Ryan on Friday (June 15) as the E20 heist mystery was finally solved.

The cliffhanger to Thursday's (June 14) episode involved Mo Harris (Laila Morse) setting up a clandestine meeting with the mysterious thief, after being grilled by Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).

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As the action picked up tonight, Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite) was plotting her and Hunter's escape from Walford, before Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) put the blame on her for the missing money at E20.

BBC

Jack was intent on finding the real culprit, and followed Mo as she slyly nabbed a bag out of an Albert Square bin. When Jack threatened to go to police, Mo handed over the bag, but both were shocked to find it was mostly full of tissues rather than cash!

"The swine," Mo complained. "He promised me half!"

Jack gained some valuable intel when Mo confessed that it was E20 barman Woody (Lee Ryan) who actually masterminded the robbery weeks ago. Catching up with Woody as he was about to flee, the barman desperately offered half of the cash to Jack to let him go free.

Jack obviously turned Woody down and confiscated all of the loot, with Woody begging him to apologise to Mel on his behalf as he left Walford for good.

"Can you tell Mel, everyone, I said sorry. Linda. Whitney, if you get a chance," he asked. "I wish I could do it all over again. I always end up running, don't I?"

With the money returned to Phil and Sharon, Mel was finally off the hook. A spokesperson for EastEnders confirmed in March that Lee Ryan would be leaving the show at the completion of his contract, having extended his initial deal with the soap a few months earlier.

Elsewhere in Friday's episode, Masood (Nitin Ganatra) was pleasantly surprised when Amal came round to ask him out on another date, despite him blowing their previous dinner.

What Masood didn't realise is that she was actually trying to keep her mum's constant pressure to marry at bay by dating a man known for gambling and drinking — but Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) discovered the set-up and ended up giving Masood a kiss in front of Amal's mum!

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